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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lash · trunk · ground · leaves · land · safe · net · hide

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. land — to come down
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. ground — a position
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. ground — the earth
  10. net — in sport
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. net — after costs
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. land — ground
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. land — a country
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. ground — crushed
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. trunk — of a car

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com